Site Information

St. Regis Lakes Trail 267

Classification: Trail

Location: Road 7896
Elevation: 4500 ft.

Length: 2.8Mi

End Location: Lower St. Regis Lake
End Elevation: 5500 ft.

Area: West End South

Season Start: Early Spring     End: Late Winter

Usage: Light to Medium
Difficulty: Moderate

Legal Description: Township 20N; Range 32W; Section 32

Directions:
Take Exit 0 from I-90 at the Montana Idaho border (Lookout Pass) and travel South on Road 7896 for 1 mile to where the road starts to loop. Park at first spur road to the West. The St. Regis Lakes trail head is on the right as the road intersects an abandoned railbed.
Spur road is the trailhead.

Alternate Directions:
On I-90 take the Lookout Pass Exit at the top of the pass.. Go south on Road 7896 on the south side of the interstate. Proceed 1 mile where the road begins to loop. Take the first road to the right and cross the old railroad grade. The road is in poor shape beyond this point. You may have to cross the creek on foot to the trailhead.

Attractions and Comments:
This is an all season area with splendid views of alpine country and flora. If cross-country skiing check with the Forest Service; or Friday-Sunday, the Avalanche Advisory 1-800-281-1030; or the Lookout Pass Ski Area. Avalanche conditions change so rapidly that you need to be your own best resource for snow conditions and safe skiing. The St. Regis Basin has a high occurrence of avalanches and can be very dangerous at times.


Narrative:
The St. Regis Lakes Trail is Located in the western portion of Mineral County near the Montan-Idaho border. The trail is actually an old primitive road for the first 1.5 miles of its length.

This road crosses a set of railroad tracks approximately .4 miles from the trailhead and continues the additional 1.1 miles to an abandoned mine and campsite. This section of trail beyond the old ming road (footpath) is closed yearlong to motorcycles. An earthed dam and several old shafts are the only remaining evidence of the mining activity that can be dated back to 1910. Visitors are advised to use caution when exploring these few remaining vestiges of the past.

From the mining camp, the route abandons hte old road, crosses the creek, and continues as a footpath. The trail transverses through alpine meadow areas and meets several springs. It paralles the outlet of the lakes for its entire length.

The lower St.Regis Lake provides an opportunity for fishing, swimming, or camping. An impromptu trail circles the lake. Campers are reminded to use the existing campsites and firerings to avoid impacting any additional vegetation. From the west end of the lower lake, hikers can travel another mile to the Upper St. Regis Lake. The upper lake is extremely shallow and does not support a fish population.

Access: Hiking, Horseback Riding, Cross-Country Skiing

Facilities: Scenery, Fishing

Connections: Mines, St. Regis Lakes

Photo: